[ OP-ED COLUMN ]

One District per Voter Bucks History

Published: Sunday, November 10, 2013 at 12:04 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, November 10, 2013 at 12:04 a.m.

BARTOW | A Winter Haven-based group hopes to convince Polk County voters to change the way county commissioners are elected in Polk County.

The nonpartisan Polk Citizens for Single Member Districts is soliciting signatures to put a Polk County Charter amendment on the November 2014 ballot. If the proposal gathers the needed 25,000 signatures, makes the ballot and wins approval, voters would be allowed to vote only for commission candidates on the district in which voters live. Now, they may vote on candidates for all five districts.

The Tiger Bay Club of Polk County took up the issue Wednesday in an informal debate. The nonpartisan political club had a proponent and an opponent each give a three-minute speech. Then each answered questions submitted by the audience to moderator S.L. Frisbee. In that way, a pro and con answer was given for each question.

Karen Welzel of Winter Haven represented the group for single-member districts. Beyond her participation in the group, she is president of the Democratic Women's Club of East Polk and she lost an election for District 41 of the Florida House of Representatives in November.

County Commissioner George Lindsey spoke against single-member districts. Lindsey, a Republican from Lakeland, was elected in November. He represents District 1. He was the only person to serve on both the 2001 and 2009 Polk County Charter Review commissions, and was chairman in 2009. He is a real estate broker and is known for his work with the Polk County Builders Association.

"I would ask everyone here in this room to raise your hand if you know for sure who your county commissioner is," Welzel said. "Do you know what county district you live in?"

Welzel said residents should vote on matters within their districts, not those of others: "Why should the people of Kathleen have to vote to elect the commissioner for the people of Davenport? Clearly, the concerns of the citizens in Davenport are totally different than those in Kathleen.

"The citizens in Davenport are worried about sand mining, and libraries and parks, and efficient roads and transportation. The want to make sure they have a county commissioner who understands their needs and is elected by them. The people in Kathleen have different needs and concerns."

Commissioners would not be obligated to help constituents outside of their districts, under a single-member system, Lindsey said. During a quick skit, he took a mock call for county services on his cellphone from outside his Lakeland-centered district. He asked, "Where do live? You're in Frostproof. I'm sorry, I can't help you. ... Polk City, I can't help. ... Dundee, I'm sorry ma'am, I can't help you."

"In a two-year cycle," Lindsey said, "every voter in Polk County will have the opportunity to vote for all five county commissioners.

"In a single-member district, you would have the opportunity to vote for one commissioner every four years," Lindsey said.

"I don't want to give up my right to vote for all five county commissioners," Lindsey said. "That's simply the preferred manner in which you are engaged in the process."

Lindsey compared single-member districts to the political process in Washington: "If you love the way that Congress works, you will love how single-member districts work. And I say that because Congress does not share a common mission, common goals, but, more importantly, they do not share a common constituency."

Polk Citizens for Single Member Districts is likely to have a hard time convincing voters to approve its proposed charter amendment. For that matter, getting 25,000 petition signatures will be a challenging chore.

The reason is that voters generally seek more opportunity to take part in government through the ballot, not less. The prospect of limited oneself to voting for one commissioner rather than all five, despite the advantages touted, is unlikely to entice many voters.

An in-between system in which some commissioners run countywide and some run in single-member districts could combine the best of both approaches. Also, in one board, it would make use of some aspects of bicameralism.

That mixed-government philosophy underlies the U.S. Congress and the Florida Legislature. Senators cover large districts (or whole states), while representatives cover smaller districts.

Applied to the lone County Commission, with an expanded total of seven members, four single-member commissioners could be equivalent to representatives, while at-large commissioners would serve countywide and could be equivalent to senators.

That is not the system proposed however. Also, in 2002, Polk voters defeated a charter-amendment proposal for a seven-member commission, with five commissioners from single-member districts and two members elected countywide. The vote was 47.9 percent for the mixture of single-member and at-large districts and 52.1 percent against.

Even if a similar fate awaits Polk Citizens for Single Member Districts, the county is better for such groups thinking about how to improve local government and putting their conclusions before the public.

<p>BARTOW | A Winter Haven-based group hopes to convince Polk County voters to change the way county commissioners are elected in Polk County.</p><p>The nonpartisan Polk Citizens for Single Member Districts is soliciting signatures to put a Polk County Charter amendment on the November 2014 ballot. If the proposal gathers the needed 25,000 signatures, makes the ballot and wins approval, voters would be allowed to vote only for commission candidates on the district in which voters live. Now, they may vote on candidates for all five districts.</p><p>The Tiger Bay Club of Polk County took up the issue Wednesday in an informal debate. The nonpartisan political club had a proponent and an opponent each give a three-minute speech. Then each answered questions submitted by the audience to moderator S.L. Frisbee. In that way, a pro and con answer was given for each question.</p><p>Karen Welzel of Winter Haven represented the group for single-member districts. Beyond her participation in the group, she is president of the Democratic Women's Club of East Polk and she lost an election for District 41 of the Florida House of Representatives in November.</p><p>County Commissioner George Lindsey spoke against single-member districts. Lindsey, a Republican from Lakeland, was elected in November. He represents District 1. He was the only person to serve on both the 2001 and 2009 Polk County Charter Review commissions, and was chairman in 2009. He is a real estate broker and is known for his work with the Polk County Builders Association.</p><p>"I would ask everyone here in this room to raise your hand if you know for sure who your county commissioner is," Welzel said. "Do you know what county district you live in?"</p><p>Welzel said residents should vote on matters within their districts, not those of others: "Why should the people of Kathleen have to vote to elect the commissioner for the people of Davenport? Clearly, the concerns of the citizens in Davenport are totally different than those in Kathleen.</p><p>"The citizens in Davenport are worried about sand mining, and libraries and parks, and efficient roads and transportation. The want to make sure they have a county commissioner who understands their needs and is elected by them. The people in Kathleen have different needs and concerns."</p><p>Commissioners would not be obligated to help constituents outside of their districts, under a single-member system, Lindsey said. During a quick skit, he took a mock call for county services on his cellphone from outside his Lakeland-centered district. He asked, "Where do live? You're in Frostproof. I'm sorry, I can't help you. ... Polk City, I can't help. ... Dundee, I'm sorry ma'am, I can't help you."</p><p>"In a two-year cycle," Lindsey said, "every voter in Polk County will have the opportunity to vote for all five county commissioners.</p><p>"In a single-member district, you would have the opportunity to vote for one commissioner every four years," Lindsey said.</p><p>"I don't want to give up my right to vote for all five county commissioners," Lindsey said. "That's simply the preferred manner in which you are engaged in the process."</p><p>Lindsey compared single-member districts to the political process in Washington: "If you love the way that Congress works, you will love how single-member districts work. And I say that because Congress does not share a common mission, common goals, but, more importantly, they do not share a common constituency."</p><p>Polk Citizens for Single Member Districts is likely to have a hard time convincing voters to approve its proposed charter amendment. For that matter, getting 25,000 petition signatures will be a challenging chore.</p><p>The reason is that voters generally seek more opportunity to take part in government through the ballot, not less. The prospect of limited oneself to voting for one commissioner rather than all five, despite the advantages touted, is unlikely to entice many voters.</p><p>An in-between system in which some commissioners run countywide and some run in single-member districts could combine the best of both approaches. Also, in one board, it would make use of some aspects of bicameralism.</p><p>That mixed-government philosophy underlies the U.S. Congress and the Florida Legislature. Senators cover large districts (or whole states), while representatives cover smaller districts.</p><p>Applied to the lone County Commission, with an expanded total of seven members, four single-member commissioners could be equivalent to representatives, while at-large commissioners would serve countywide and could be equivalent to senators.</p><p>That is not the system proposed however. Also, in 2002, Polk voters defeated a charter-amendment proposal for a seven-member commission, with five commissioners from single-member districts and two members elected countywide. The vote was 47.9 percent for the mixture of single-member and at-large districts and 52.1 percent against.</p><p>Even if a similar fate awaits Polk Citizens for Single Member Districts, the county is better for such groups thinking about how to improve local government and putting their conclusions before the public.</p><p>[ Glenn Marston is editorial page editor. Email: glenn.marston@theledger.com. Phone: 863-802-7600. ]</p>